


Pockets

by Solstilla



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, jily - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Fluff, James/Lily - Freeform, christmas party fic, jily
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-30
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:54:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27791851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Solstilla/pseuds/Solstilla
Summary: His breath felt ragged, so he focused on putting away her coat to give himself a moment to clear his mind and fill his lungs. There was no reason to be huffing and puffing around her. They were just friends, after all. Nothing more.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter
Comments: 14
Kudos: 65





	Pockets

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't been able to write in forever because mental health and school so this is the first thing I've written in months that wasn't an academic paper. I hope you like it! <3 I've missed writing these dorks.

“Sirius, have you seen Lily yet?” James was pacing around the formal living room, hands in his pockets as he glanced up at his best friend. The two were dressed almost identical, both dawning red Christmas sweaters. James’s had a deer on it and Sirius’s featured a dog-Fleamont’s gifts from last Christmas. 

Sirius smirked, his eyes following James from either side of the room. Although James wouldn’t admit it, he was really nervous she wouldn’t come. 

After all, it wasn’t like they’d been the best of friends in the past. Miscommunication and awkwardness and schoolboy crushes had put a bit of a strain on their relationship up until this year. 

This year...things with Lily were different. They were better. After a few heart-to-hearts in September and a Hogsmeade trip or two, he and Lily were something like  _ friends _ . 

Lily was a really great friend to have. When she’s in a good mood, she’ll write little supportive notes in his notes while studying. Anytime they go to Hogsmeade she makes a point to stop and get sugar quills with him. On Fridays, she takes walks around the lake and now that Slytherin has the pitch on Fridays, she started to invite him to join her. They talk about everything and nothing at the same time. Lily loves to point out that the sun is starting to set or when she sees an owl overhead. She also likes to discuss international magical policy and muggle relations. 

Sometimes they don’t have to talk at all, like days when she’s gotten post from her sister. Sometimes, it’s just nice to sit by the fire and swap books. Lily was getting really good at Quidditch strategy from that, actually. After a game last month, she congratulated him on a smart use of his chasers to distract from the higher elevation of his beaters and his seeker. 

In all honesty, there wasn’t a thing on earth James thought Lily  _ couldn’t _ be good at if she tried and was interested. Although, it was funny to hear her awful interpretation of Christmas songs. Logically, he knew she had her limitations-after all, he was helping her with transfiguration-but he also knew that she was dedicated and could push past any obstacles the world put in her way. Lily Evans was an unstoppable force if she wanted to be. 

Which was why he was getting worried that she wasn’t at his Christmas party yet. He’d invited her both by owl post and verbally, and she’d replied to both that she’d come! 

“Why are you so worked up over this? I thought you two were friends? I thought you were...what was it you said last night?  _ Long over her? _ ” Sirius cracked a grin, sitting up from where he’d been lounging on the chaise. “Or was that just talk?” 

James shot him a weary look. “You know we’re just friends, and that’s  _ all  _ we’ll ever be!”

“And it’s driving you mad,” Sirius said, looking disinterested. 

“And I’m perfectly fine with it,” James correctly, stopping in his tracks to look at Sirius. “We’re friends, and it’s great. But I know she’s got that awful sister and she wasn’t sure how to hook up the floo system and I know she said she was excited for this party and now I’m worried that maybe I should go get her.” 

“No need, really,” said a soft voice behind him. Lily! James whipped around, his hand flying up to his hair. 

“Lily! Hi,” he breathed, staring at her in surprise. 

“Hi,” she said, pressing her lips together before ducking her head and giving a little laugh. With a start, James realized she was still in her winter coat. 

“How long have you been here? Let me take your jacket?” He bounded over to her, holding out his hands as an offer to take it off her hands. Lily obliged, her cheeks rosy from the cold. 

“Not too long. Marlene let me in. Your house is beautiful.”

“Thank you!” Sirius called from the sofa, cracking a cheeky grin. “Decorated it with Mum all by ourselves with no help from this one!” James’s ears burned bright red. 

He whipped around to look at his brother. “You know perfectly well that Dad, Posey, and I were busy cooking!” 

“Excuses, excuses…” 

Lily laughed, apparently amused by their little exchange. James cleared his throat and offered his arm out to her. “My apologies, should we begin with the grand tour?” he asked, donning an air of elegance like that Darcy man from her favorite book. She didn’t fall for it, instead snorting at the question. “What? What’s so funny?” 

“Not sure the coat closet is really the best way to start off a grand tour, Potter.” Despite her sarcasm, Lily did link her arm with his. James felt like his arm was electric where she held him and he tried to ignore the heat creeping up his neck. “You look nice, by the way. I like your sweater.” 

His sweater? He had to look down to see what he was wearing before cheesing up at her. “Thanks! Dad’s present from last year.” James nodded his head as he led her along to the foyer to set her coat in the closet. “I like deer,” he added as an afterthought. 

“I know.” Lily breathed, looking up at him. Suddenly James was very aware of the fact that it was just the two of them standing in his hallway. They were so close he felt the heat of her breath when she spoke and he smelled her sweet sugar cookie perfume. With her arm still wrapped around his, he could feel her thumb rubbing against his forearm. If he dared to look her directly in the eyes he was sure he could count all the beautiful shades of green in them. 

His breath felt ragged, so he focused on putting away her coat to give himself a moment to clear his mind and fill his lungs. There was no reason to be huffing and puffing around her. They were just friends, after all. Nothing more. 

James took care as he hung her coat to place it next to Marlene, Mary, and Dorcas’s so that if they chose to leave together it would be easy for them all to get bundled up for the snowy weather outside. He hoped they would stay until the end of the night, though. The girls and the Marauders made Christmas better. Lily made Christmas better. 

Once her coat was neatly hung and placed beside her friends’ jackets, he spun around, clasping his hands together as if preparing for some great adventure. However, once he turned, he was struck with how  _ beautiful  _ Lily looked.

Her hair was curled in perfect ringlets cascading down her shoulders with little flyaways that seemed to only make James find her even more endearing; all he wanted to do was brush them back behind her ear. She was wearing lip gloss and mascara, nothing too out of the ordinary for her, but with her cheeks so rosy from the winter cold he thought her make-up looked especially nice tonight. To complete her look, she was wearing an emerald green dress with a bow tied in the front and flowy sleeves that lay just off her shoulders. He must have been looking at her funny because she shifted where she stood and cleared her throat. 

“Sorry, I just...you look really pretty. I like your dress.” Lily’s face lit up like a Christmas tree. 

“Thank you!” She leaned forward excitedly, as if she was about to tell him some amazing secret. “It has pockets!” Her hands flew from folded in front of her into the pockets of her dress to demonstrate. She swished from side to side to show off the pockets she was so excited about. 

In that moment, James knew that he was not over her. Not in the slightest. In fact, he realized with a start, he just might love her. 

“Pockets, huh?” He grinned, holding out his arm again for her to take. “That means more room for cookies to take home later, right?” 

Lily squealed in laughter, hugging his arm a little tighter than before as she exclaimed, “James!” 

“Oh, sorry, I meant sugar quills.” Lily crinkled up her nose in amusement before nodding her approval. 

“Sugar quills.” 

Yeah. Definitely love. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on Tumblr @Solstilla!


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